THE region's newest community woodland was launched yesterday with the planting of the Tees Forest's two millionth tree.

South Burdon Community Woodland is being created along the A66 Darlington bypass, in a joint project between the borough council and Tees Forest.

Dignitaries including Darlington MP Alan Milburn, helped by children from Red Hall Primary School in the town, gathered on site to mark the launch.

The Tees Forest was established to restore lost woodland across the Tees Valley.

Its largest site is Coatham Wood, near Urlay Nook, which includes a copse planted by The Northern Echo readers and is a short distance from the South Burdon site.

Over the next five years, Tees Forest and the council will plant 140,000 trees on 200 acres of farmland bought by Forest Enterprise.

A fifth of the site has been planted and the project includes plans to create scrubland and wildflower areas for wildlife, as well as a network of paths for walking, cycling and riding.

The newly-surfaced Stockton to Darlington railway trackbed runs through the site and forms part of the National Cycle Network. Cycle route specialist Sustrans is supporting the project.

Andrew Smith, forest district manager for Forest Enterprise, said it was seeking to create a woodland corridor between Darlington and Stockton.

Mr Milburn, who planted the two millionth tree, a native oak, said of the project: "It is an absolutely fantastic thing. It is an investment in the long-term. It is looking to the future and the opportunities which the next generations are going to have.